The St. Louis Blues are now six games into the regular season and are trying to build a winning record and move higher in the standings. They are currently fifth in the Central Division. There are three players on the Blues right now who are providing the results they were expected to show when the regular season began, and without them, the Blues would be in a rough spot right now. Let’s look at whom those three players are.
Jake Neighbours
Among the top six forwards on the Blues roster, no one wants to have a bigger impact than Jake Neighbours. He had 22 goals last season in 82 games, and this season, he has four goals through six games. He is on pace for more than 22 goals.
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Neighbours’ goals average in regulation to begin the season is also excellent, ranking in the top 10 in the league in goals per 60 minutes (2.69). His current goal pace is 54.6 goals, which may dip throughout the season as the sample size of games increases, but it is still crazy to think about if he continues the rate of scoring he is currently on.
The Blues also made a good move to bump him from middle-six minutes to first-line minutes, which should put his hunger for goals to the test with the Blues’ best forwards. Neighbours is even doing this after battling some soreness before the season’s start, which the Blues managed well. His performance has given the Blues some options to move around the lineup and provide some scoring where and whenever they need it.
Tyler Tucker
During the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Tyler Tucker set a blaze in the first-round matchup against the Winnipeg Jets. He played the puck well and even scored a goal in three games of that series before suffering a lower-body injury in Game 4. But now, he is trying to bounce back from that moment and take the strong playoff play into the 2025-26 season.
Tucker currently has three points in six games, the most he has ever accumulated in the first six games of a season. Is it safe to say he may be en route to a breakout season?—Yes, 100 percent. He looks more in sync with every play and pair he’s been on, and he’s been a leader on the bottom defensive pair and takes charge once the puck is on his stick.
Defensively, Tucker has also been a driving force, blocking 4.61 shots per 60 minutes. The minute he gets on the ice, he’s ready to do what he has to disrupt the play defensively and then rush the puck up the ice. That’s been the bread and butter of his game, and it’s what has got him on the Blues in the first place.
Jimmy Snuggerud
Jimmy Snuggerud is another key piece to this roster that the Blues have managed very well over the last six games. He recorded four points in those six games and even contributed to the power play with two points. In a nutshell, he has been given the bigger roles throughout the lineup and has capitalized on those opportunities.
He has also been their most clutch player this season, leading the team in game-winning goals (2). The fun part is that he’s always looking to be the guy who wants it the most. Every chance he gets, he takes it without hesitation. Snuggerud has taken 3.8 shot attempts per game and is averaging 2.2 shots on goal per game. While the average seems low, he has a shooting percentage of 23.1 percent, the second-highest on the Blues.
According to MoneyPuck, out of a 23.1 shooting percentage, his percentage on net is 17.5 percent, which is a reasonable rate, and he will have a higher chance of scoring if he keeps shooting like that.
These three players have the potential to do damage this season, and their numbers support this. While it’s disappointing that the Blues’ countless defensive breakdowns have pushed them to work hard to generate more offense than they should need to win games, the offensive quality is still there. The big guys like Neighbours and Snuggerud are doing what they are expected to do. Tucker is supporting the offense in little ways, and whether it’s dumping the puck or keeping small offensive possessions moving, it’s working. We saw time and time last season what the Blues are capable of once they lock in on all aspects of their game, and hopefully, they can return to that earlier on this season.
